Sponge rollers and vacuum means for removing water from vehicle in a car wash

Abstract

A car wash in which sponge rollers are used and are yieldingly held against the top and two sides of the vehicle and are positioned in the car wash after the vehicle has been washed. The sponge rollers are compressed against the top and sides of the vehicle and will absorb the water film remaining on the vehicle. A vacuum shoe contacts each sponge roller and vacuum is used for removing any fluid in the sponge roller as the cylindrical surface of the roller moves under the shoe. The fluid withdrawn from the roller is conveyed to the sewer.

I claim: 
     
       1. Vacuum means for removing a film of water from a vehicle after the vehicle has been washed in a car wash; comprising (a) a sponge roller rotatable about a horizontal axis;   (b) means for yieldingly supporting the roller and causing it to yieldingly contact the vehicle top as the vehicle moves thereunder, the sponge roller rolling over the vehicle top for removing the film of water remaining on the vehicle;   (c) a stationary vacuum shoe contacting the surface of the sponge roller and mounted on the means yieldingly supporting said roller; and   (d) means for creating a vacuum in said shoe for sucking up the water from said rotating roller and for discharging the water.   
     
     
       2. The combination as set forth in claim 1 further including (a) a sponge roller positioned on each side of the vehicle for rotation about substantially vertical axes;   (b) means for yieldingly supporting each side roller and for yieldingly holding said side rollers against the vehicle sides as the vehicle moves thereby, the two side sponge rollers removing the water film remaining on the sides of the vehicle;   (c) a stationary vacuum shoe contacting each side roller; and   (d) means for creating a vacuum in each vacuum shoe contacting a side roller for sucking up the water therefrom and for conveying it away from the vehicle.